Jacqueline de Jong: Vicious Circles
Jacqueline de Jong: Vicious Circles is the official catalogue accompanying the first major retrospective of Dutch avant-garde artist Jacqueline de Jong to be presented in the United States. It is also the first significant institutional publication released following the artist’s passing in 2024. As one of the key figures of postwar European avant-garde art, de Jong left a distinctive and enduring mark on art history through her strong political engagement, expressive visual language, and incisive responses to contemporary social realities.
While de Jong is often best known as the founder and editor of the influential avant-garde publication The Situationist Times, this volume shifts the focus to her remarkable artistic practice spanning more than six decades. It traces the evolution of a body of work that crossed and engaged with multiple artistic movements, including CoBrA, Surrealism, Fluxus, Pop Art, Neo-Expressionism, New Figuration, Land Art, and the cultural concerns of the globalized era. Throughout her career, de Jong consistently responded to themes of war, violence, power structures, and social resistance, demonstrating the potential of art as a vehicle for critique and dissent.
The book brings together major paintings, sculptures, and works on paper created between 1962 and 2024, offering a comprehensive overview of the development of her artistic style and intellectual trajectory. It also presents a wealth of archival materials published here for the first time, including unpublished manuscripts, historical documents, and personal records preserved in Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, providing invaluable resources for scholars and readers seeking a deeper understanding of her practice.
In addition, the publication features a number of commemorative essays, along with the final interview conducted with de Jong by art historian Margriet Schavemaker before the artist’s death. Through this firsthand conversation, readers gain unique insight into de Jong’s artistic philosophy, life experiences, and creative vision.
More than a retrospective catalogue, Jacqueline de Jong: Vicious Circles stands as an important document of how art can engage with history, confront contemporary realities, and continue to serve as a powerful force for critical reflection.
Details
Editors: Ariella Wolens
Contributors: Alison M. Gingeras, Margriet Schavemaker
Publisher: Skira Editore
Year: 2025
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 28 × 22 cm
Pages: 176